Daisy Ridley Is Leaving ‘Star Wars’ After ‘Episode IX’

Although only the second installment in the latest Star Wars trilogy is hitting theaters in a couple of weeks, Lucasfilm is already looking ahead to the future of the franchise. The Last Jedi writer and director Rian Johnson has been tapped to develop a new trilogy with new characters as the franchise finally leaves the Skywalker saga behind. That means we’ll be saying goodbye to some of our favorite characters from the current trilogy — and that includes Rey, according to Daisy Ridley.

The actress joined some of her co-stars for a Rolling Stone feature on the upcoming sequel, in which she confirmed that she’ll be exiting the series after Episode IX. Ridley, whose star has been on the rise since making her debut as Rey in The Force Awakens, expressed a sense of gratitude for the series, but ultimately believes three films is plenty:

I am really, really excited to do the third thing and round it out, because ultimately, what I was signing on to was three films. So in my head, it’s three films. I think it will feel like the right time to round it out.

When asked if she might return for a future Star Wars film sometime in the future, like Mark Hamill or Carrie Fisher returning for the new trilogy, Ridley seems uncertain. “Who knows?” she said. “I honestly feel like the world may end in the next 30 years, so, if in 30 years we are not living underground in a series of interconnected cells…then sure.” Ridley also suggests she’s not making any huge plans for her future just yet: “How old will I be? 55. F—k, I can’t think that far ahead.” Relatable!

If you were hoping for some juicy new plot and character details from The Last Jedi, you won’t really find them in the Rolling Stone piece, but you will get this amazing description of the series from Ridley:

It’s somewhat a reflection of society, but also it is escapism, because there are creatures and there are people running around with f—ing lasers and s—. So, I think, a wonderful mix of both.